Development of Aluminum-Based STJs for Phase-IV of the BeEST Experiment

POSTER

Abstract

The BeEST experiment is a model independent search for heavy neutrinos in the decay of 7Be implanted in superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) quantum sensors. The sensitivity goals for Phase-IV of the experiment require an increase in number of detectors, reduced backgrounds, and improved energy resolution from the STJs. To achieve this, we are currently developing arrays of aluminum-based STJs deposited on 500 nm silicon-nitride (SiN) membranes. In this talk, we present the design of these new devices as well as characterization of the signals.

*The BeEST experiment is supported by the Office of Nuclear Physics in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science under Grant DE-SC0021245 and the LLNL Laboratory Directed Research and Development program through Grants No. 19-FS-027 and No. 20-LW-006. TRIUMF receives federal funding via a contribution agreement with the National Research Council of Canada. This research was performed under appointment to the Nuclear Nonproliferation International Safeguards Fellowship Program sponsored by the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administrations Office of International Nuclear Safeguards (NA-241). The theoretical work was performed as part of the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) Projects No. 17FUN02 MetroMMC and No. 20FUN09 PrimA-LTD. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laborator

Presenters

  • Spencer Fretwell

    • Colorado School of Mines

Authors

  • Spencer Fretwell

    • Colorado School of Mines